Help!! We Registered and have no idea what we are doing?!?

So yesterday we decided to start our registry at buy buy baby and first off I didnt realize they "recommend" you make an apt so the staff can help you. So we went in totally blind. I nearly peed my pants several times as we walked around the store trying to figure stuff out. SO (significant other) my question is as a first time Mom what do you suggest as far as car seats and strollers?? Brands etc. We aren't looking to break the bank but obviously want the safest. I also would like a very light weight stroller dont need a fancy jogger as I dont plan on jogging but I will be walking. Also are there any infant car seats that convert to the next stage or we will be buying another car seat once the baby hits that weight limit I think it's around 35lbs for most?? Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Side note...where did you buy your baby furniture?? Again looking for nice but not breaking the bank! Thank you all! ☺

Comments (28)

I’m a FTM (first time mom) as well. After doing some research, we are going to register for the Chicco Keyfit and Chicco Shuttle for a car seat and stroller. Also looking to put a lightweight stroller on our registry but haven’t decided what yet.

I’m interested to hear what people recommends or furniture. I’m looking at an IKEA crib. I’m also wanting to buy a dresser that lasts through the years!

Whether you want a bucket seat or a convertible is up to you. I find buckets too heavy after about six months even if you can technically use them for about a year, depending on babys height. They usually hit height limit before weight. I think there is one, the chico nextfit2, that's a bucket that's usable until age 2 or so.

For dressers, watch if the drawers pull out all of the way. So many of them dont and it's a pain in the ass. Obviously you also dont want anything the kid could climb and tip over. Look into wall anchors, though you could wait to anchor until they're old enough to pull up on things.

Britax, Chicco and graco car seats get high safety ratings (the order varies by ratings source). I research safety, ease of installation, ease of cleaning, and weight of seat if you plan to fly often ( hauling s heavy car seat through airports sucks).

Infant seats are only useful until they hit that weight or height limit and then you need a convertible seat. Convertible seats accommodate infant through toddlers/preschoolers. If you want to skip the infant seat, research the lowest weight limit a convertible can handle - of baby is really small (under 7lbs), not all convertibles are ok.

I prefer starting with an infant seat because it’s easy to get baby buckled in inside and then just click the infant seat into the base in the car rather than trying to buckle them into the seat in the car (especially if you live in a cold climate). Same for taking them out - if you have a stroller the seat clicks onto, you just leave them buckled, open stroller, click car seat on and you’re off.

Someone who has looked at this more recently can correct me if I remember this wrong: Before they have good head control, they need to be in a bassinet style stroller or in a car seat attachment. So you can’t just start off with any old stroller?

Read reviews of strollers, especially if you live in a walkable urban area - the features all differ and some are better for daily use than others. If you’re thinking trail walking, you’ll need a jogger. If you’re thinking walk from car to doctor office or car to restaurant, a frame stroller the car seat clicks into frame is sufficient.

This is #2 for us. For the carseat, I bought the chicco keyfit 30 in a bundle with a play pen and stroller. I love it! I too think a infant carseat is a must. For the next stage, I highly recommend the Graco 4ever all in one. It goes thru all stages including infant thru booster so really, you dont have to buy another carseat as they grow. This one hits them all which saves you money in the long run and not having to store and keep track of all the expiration dates.

I also recommend a carrier of some kind to baby wear. I have the Boba wrap and love it! I used it frequently around the house or out shopping.

Sorry for the mass detail, but remember that stores have an incentive to get you to register for all the things. You do not need all the things. Diapers, car seat, a place to sleep and a plan for feeding are really the only “needs.”

We needed a tiny crib due to space constraints with our first, so that was a very specific need that happened to be expensive. We got the Bloom Alma Mini crib (literally the smallest on the market at the time). If you don’t have space constraints, get whatever you like.

We got an ikea dresser and put a changing pad on top for changing table/all the baby clothes/blankets/diapers. It’s still going strong 4 years later. You don’t “need” a changing table. Lots of my friends solely change diapers on the living room floor because it’s easier than getting up and going to the changing table every time.

Never bought a changing table, just a changing pad and a cover. That way I could use it all over the house.

A lot of baby items are really only useful for the first 6 months or so. Those items I suggest buying gently used. Things like a bouncer, baby swing, baby bath tub and later a jumparoo, walker, play pen. Those things clean up really well and you can save a bunch buying used.

We went to a convertible right away with DS. Pros: we didn't need to switch from infant to convertible at about 12-18 months and he was able to use it until literally last year, at age 4. Cons: I spent a lot of time in the car with a newborn sleeping in the back seat because he didn't transfer well.

We'll be choosing an infant seat this time but one thing to remember: ALL BRANDS must go through the same safety testing and meet the same standards, so it really doesn't make much difference which you choose when it comes to safety. Some have other features- the ClickConnect has a special locking base, Diono offers a certain rebound bar, etc. But those are extra features above and beyond the basics.

Our convertibles have always been Evenflo. I think we're going for the Graco ClickConnect this time.

As far as strollers go, for DS (dear son) and his convertible, we skipped a stroller for the first 6 months. We used a carrier instead- ring sling when he was tiny and soft structured carrier when he was bigger. At 6 months we got him a lightweight stroller, not quite an umbrella, but much smaller than a travel system. I think we used it for two years because it was really easy and awesome.

This round, I would like to do a travel system if possible. I thought about one of those Stand and Go type strollers but the weight limit for standing is only 45 lbs. DS (dear son) is about 40 so it seems a bit pointless.

Other stuff... Babies need only a few things to start out: Carseat, safe place to sleep, diapers, milk, love. The rest is fun but can happen slowly.

We bought our stroller, car seat, and furniture set from buybuy baby. The furniture (tall boy dresser, convertible crib, and changing table/bookshelves dresser) we bought on display, so we paid $500 FOR ALL of it. We were pretty happy. It provides ample storage so we are already set for baby #2 to share our son's room. We also were able to use their 20% off coupon on the car seat (chicco key30 zip). I LOVE that car seat. It clicks right into your car, and then we can click it right into our stroller (baby jogger city select-also was the floor model so we saved $$$$). The city select is $$ but I LOVE it. It has been to Florida (on an airplane) two years in a row and traveled down many dirt and snow covered roads and held up amazingly. It ALSO converts. So we dont need to buy another stroller, just move the toddler seat down and click in the infant seat.

That said, I would recommend looking on craigslist or at local consignment stores. You can find some steals. Or wait until black Friday and snatch up some baby essentials on Amazon.com. We got a convertible highchair on there for a steal during that time. You also dont need super fancy things, go practice. Don't buy the $100+ diaper bag. I did (petunia pickle bottom) and found a $30 backpack bag WAY more practical and budget friendly.

Also, many people skip the crib, and just use a pack and play.

Things I never used: Diaper pail Wipe warmer Bottle warmer/sanitizer (use the microwave and a bowl of water) Burp cloths (waste of fabric)

Eta: I would recommend an infant car seat, just because you can click it in and out of your car. I guess I dont know if there are infant seats that don't do this... Then use a convertible seat for when they outgrow the infant one. We were gifted a Safetyfirst convertible seat. It isn't fancy, but very practical.

Never bought a changing table, just a changing pad and a cover. That way I co...

Posted
09/01/2018

Never bought a changing table, just a changing pad and a cover. That way I could use it all over the house.

A lot of baby items are really only useful for the first 6 months or so. Those items I suggest buying gently used. Things like a bouncer, baby swing, baby bath tub and later a jumparoo, walker, play pen. Those things clean up really well and you can save a bunch buying used.

We didnt have a changing table FOREVER, but being tall (6')bending over to do it on the ground etc was back breaking. 🤦‍♀️

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